Christmas Card Showing Santa Claus and Reindeer on a Carousel, circa 1955
THF255047 / Christmas Card Showing Santa Claus and Reindeer on a Carousel, circa 1955 / front cover
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Artifact Overview
Mailing colorful, commercially designed greeting cards was a 20th-century American tradition. During the holidays, friends and neighbors commonly exchanged cards wishing the recipient a merry Christmas. Santa Claus, a regular feature, is sometimes depicted non-traditionally in scenes that reflect the time. The carousel in this circa 1955 example -- a common attraction at postwar-era kiddie parks -- represents the youthful delight of the season.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Christmas card
Date Made
circa 1955
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
This is a reissued card, the original artwork was by Dick Kelsey.
Collection Title
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
84.9.1.4229
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Dorothy Guimaraes.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Printing (Process)
Color
Multicolored
Red
Dimensions
Height: 3.75 in
Width: 5.25 in
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Related Artifacts
Artifact"Christmas Carrousel," 1952
Richmond "Dick" Kelsey (1905-1987) studied art in Southern California in the 1920s and 30s. In 1938, Walt Disney hired the watercolor artist and muralist to work on several animated films: Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi. After serving in World War II, Kelsey returned to work for Disney. In addition to his animation work, he designed Christmas cards for greeting card companies.
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Related Content
SetCarousel Culture
- 10 Artifacts
The 1945 musical Carousel was Rodgers & Hammerstein's attempt to follow up on the spectacular success of their 1943 musical Oklahoma! Adapted from the 1909 Hungarian play Liliom, the Americanized Carousel revolves around a carousel barker's romance with a female millworker. The song "If I Loved You" involves the characters' hesitant admittance of love for one another.